Trending
Prev Story
Next Story

Jake Paul: American to return to ring on 24 December in Dubai

BBC News •
October 29, 2026 • 11:06 AM
1
1 reads 0 reactions

Jake Paul returns to the ring for the first time since losing to Anthony Joshua against a yet to be confirmed opponent on 24 December.

1 / 3
Swipe Photos

Jake Paul made his professional debut in 2020 and has won seven of his fights by knockout

Jake Paul will return to the ring for the first time since losing to Anthony Joshua against a yet to be confirmed opponent on 24 December.

American Paul had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed after Joshua broke his jaw during their heavyweight bout in December 2025.

The 29-year-old influencer said in May that his boxing career was "most definitely" in doubt.

Paul will headline a card in Dubai on Christmas Eve, with several names understood to be in contention to be his opponent.

"I've spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I'd face," Paul said.

"Nothing that's happened has changed my belief in myself or what I'm working toward. I'm hungrier than ever.

"We've got plenty of names on the list; let's see who signs the contract. Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody's getting knocked out."

Paul has won 12 of his 14 fights as a professional, with his two defeats coming against Tommy Fury and Joshua.

Nakisa Bidarian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) with Paul, told the Sun earlier this week that former UFC fighter Darren Till was among the names being considered for the fight in the United Arab Emirates.

"Jake Paul has spent his career challenging what people think is possible," Bidarian said.

"We're finalising an opponent worthy of Jake's return and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks."

Till, 33, last fought in the UFC in 2022 and made his boxing debut in 2025 - beating Luke Rockhold in his sole professional bout.

The Liverpudlian has since competed in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and beat Yoel Romero in September.

In July 2025, Paul earned a place in the WBA's cruiserweight rankings after beating former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, but he lost that ranking in January after defeat by Joshua.

Paul was knocked down twice against the British two-time heavyweight world champion before being stopped in the sixth round in Miami.

Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Prev Swipe Story Next

Same Story from Other Publications

Compare how 2 other independent news outlets reported on this story.

2 Publications
The Next Web (TNW)
1d ago
GITEX GLOBAL 2026 in Dubai: dates, venue and who is coming

GITEX GLOBAL 2026 in Dubai: dates, venue and who is coming

GITEX GLOBAL 2026 runs 7 to 11 December in Dubai, with a summit at DWTC and an expo at Expo City. Here is who is coming and what is on.

Wired
20h ago
‘Bring Back THE Boss’: Nvidia Employees Petition for Jensen Huang’s Return

‘Bring Back THE Boss’: Nvidia Employees Petition for Jensen Huang’s Return

An internal post urging the board to consider employee sentiment about Nvidia’s former CEO has drawn more than 1,600 comments, the majority in full support of reinstalling him.

#return #ring
Compare →

Related Stories

Technology
Build #2611